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Retailing

Retailing
Latest news and features on retailing with a particular focus on Hong Kong, mainland China and Asia, covering consumer goods and services, retail strategies, shopping habits, sales results and trends.
An Alo clothing store at a shopping mall in Houston, Texas. Photo: Shutterstock Images
China consumption

Lululemon rival Alo Yoga enters China market with new store on Alibaba’s Tmall

The US brand announced its entry into China in June as part of its international expansion to tap the premium ‘athleisure’ market.

Wellness

What’s really in your menstrual products – and should you be worried?

China exports

How China’s brands are thriving in the US despite rising geopolitical tensions

China consumption

China’s factory-gate prices growth slows to 3.5% in July amid lower fuel prices

Amid lower domestic fuel prices and weak domestic demand, the national consumer price index rose 0.5 per cent last month.

A staff member examines electric tricycles before shipment in China’s Shandong province on July 30, 2026. Photo: AFP
China’s soft power

Opinion | China’s brands must outgrow diaspora bubble to hit soft power potential

Only through commercial independence and deep localisation can Chinese firms abroad forge a durable soft power that state policy can’t produce.

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China consumption

In Focus | ‘Quiet luxury’: why premium Chinese consumers are embracing home-grown brands

A growing number of local brands are winning over premium consumers who prize craftsmanship, innovation and a high‑value sense of luxury.

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Hong Kong stock market

Swire Pacific posts record first-half profit as investment surges to fresh high

The Hong Kong-based conglomerate saw its underlying profits soar by 48 per cent year on year in the first half of 2026.

Swire Pacific has reported record first-half profits. Photo: SCMP/Fung Chang
China economy

Editorial | China’s moves to fuel growth driven by consumption are strategic

Government subsidies for consumer goods can only go so far. Beijing’s first five-year plan to lift household consumption is part of an essential pivot.

Hong Kong property

The Peninsula Hong Kong and Tokyo set for HK$2.1 billion revamp

No timeline has been set, but the operator says it will minimise disruption while preserving the heritage of its iconic Hong Kong hotel.

Consumers

How global brands are winning in China’s sluggish retail market

The likes of Adidas and L’Oreal are thriving in the evolving market, showcasing strong growth driven by changing consumer demands.

Customers sit and drink coffee inside a Starbucks Reserve store in a shopping mall in Shenzhen. Photo: Getty Images
China economy

Opinion | How likely is Beijing to walk the talk on boosting consumption?

As long as external demand holds up, policymakers appear relatively untroubled by weakening domestic demand, despite rhetoric to the contrary.

Illustration: Dennis Yip
Hong Kong property

Hang Lung looks beyond luxury amid changing consumer tastes

Record mall rental income was offset by property writedowns and weak offices, while Shanghai’s Plaza 66 aims to grow beyond luxury shopping.

China consumption

China’s Pop Mart opens new store in Singapore’s Sentosa as domestic sales slow

Popular toymaker targets global expansion and revenue diversification, looking beyond just collectibles.

China consumption

LVMH’s fashion and leather division reports 1% organic growth in second quarter

The French luxury brand has also seen persisting positive momentum in China for Hennessy cognac since the 2026 Chinese New Year.

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Luxury brand LVMH has reported a 1 per cent organic increase in the second quarter of 2026 in its fashion and leather division. Photo: Reuters
China consumption

China’s 15th five-year plan for consumption

Officials have set a target for retail sales to hit 60 trillion yuan, or US$8.9 trillion, by 2030 under a plan approved by the State Council.

Photo: EPA
Hong Kong tourism

Hong Kong to offer 5% shopping, dining discounts for major event participants

Tourism Board says ticket holders of five major events in August and September can qualify for offers at over 100 designated hotels, attractions.

China consumption

Back in fashion? Burberry sales jump in China amid tech wealth

Burberry and Cartier see sales surge in China, driven by Gen Z and tech wealth, but recovery remains uncertain amid economic challenges.

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Japan

Japanese firm acts to stop 7-Eleven store staff scalping anime, game merchandise

Some owners and employees have been caught setting aside merchandise before its release or buying up large quantities for resale.

A customer prepares to check out at the register inside a 7-Eleven store in Japan. Photo: Shutterstock
Hong Kong culture

Hong Kong brands that rose hand in hand with the city over generations

From the 100-year-old Garden Bakery to TikTok-fave Twemco, these brands tell the story of the city’s evolution into a major metropolis.

China’s private sector

Fifa effect: Hong Kong developers bet on sport fever to keep shoppers spending

Neighbourhood malls to host year-round events encouraging consumers to open their wallets after World Cup mania delivers double-digit gains.

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China property

Ikea’s China remodelling: parent firm to sell 8 former retail sites

Sales follow store closures as Swedish furniture retailer focuses on online channels amid sluggish property market, consumer spending.

An Ikea store in Beijing. Photo: Shutterstock
South Korea

How South Korean hypermarket chain’s fall reflects ‘time-poor’ consumer demands

The Homeplus crisis comes even as other South Korean retail businesses continue to thrive amid a surge in online sales.

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A Homeplus store in Seoul. The financially troubled hypermarket chain has closed or suspended its outlets in South Korea. Photo: EPA
China consumption

Under pressure: China’s yoga apparel market slows as consumers diversify hobbies

Growth has slowed in the market for yoga workout gear as Chinese consumers pivot to other brands and activities.

Hong Kong property

Retail rift: Hong Kong shops beg for rent relief, landlords hold firm

As closures continue despite rising retail sales, landlords and operators have starkly divided views on the retail leasing market.

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Hong Kong property

Lights out for Taobao-partnered furniture showroom in October: sources

Landlord Sino Group seeking a new tenant for the second-floor shop at China Hong Kong City mall in Tsim Sha Tsui, marketing materials show.

Customers shop in Taobao Hong Kong's furniture store at China Hong Kong City. Photo: Eugene Lee
Style Edit

Style Edit: The legacy behind Buccellati’s handcrafted jewellery – interview

The Swiss executive tells Style about the maison’s new Venetian-inspired Serenissima collection and its devotion to artisanal excellence.

Buccellati’s latest high jewellery collection, Serenissima. Photo: Handout
China GDP

China’s second-quarter GDP misses mark, with lowest reading since end of 2022

Growth rate of 4.3 per cent complicates the country’s push to meet annual targets, contrasts with strong trade figures.

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IPO

Waning appetite: why mainland Chinese F&B stocks are losing favour in Hong Kong

IPO lapses and sliding share prices underscore how weak consumption is dulling Hong Kong’s appetite for mainland China’s food sector.

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